The arrest, ongoing detention,
and charges against Cameroonian rapper Gaston Serval Abe, known as Valsero, are
inexcusable violations of freedom artistic expression, PEN America said in a
statement today. Arrested earlier this year in the vicinity of a pro-democracy
demonstration, Valsero will appear before a military court Friday and could
face the death penalty. He’s charged with rebellion against the state,
terrorism, insurrection, inciting public disorder, and propagating false
information.

“Valsero, along with his sound
engineer, has been imprisoned for over six months for merely attending a peaceful
march in protest of the last election results in Cameroon,” said Julie
Trébault, director of the Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) at PEN America.
“This is clearly a targeted attempt to silence an internationally known and
beloved rapper who strives, both through his music and his activism, to
critique the government and inspire social change. His ongoing detention in
poor conditions and the exaggerated charges against him are an intolerable
affront both to artistic freedom and human dignity. We urge the Cameroonian
government to immediately drop the charges against Valsero and uphold its
domestic and international commitments to protect freedom of expression and
ensure that artists are free to create without fear”.

Critics say Valsero is being
persecuted for his work, which often includes political themes. Songs like “Çe
pays tue les jeunes” (“This country kills the youth”), “Ne me parlez plus de ce
pays” (“Don’t talk about this country to me anymore”), and the well-known “Lettre au president”
(“Letter to the President”) have earned both the ire of the government and
admiration of fans across Cameroon. Many of his new songs reference current
crises in Cameroon and the current government, in power for nearly four
decades.

Although his work fell afoul of
censorship laws, his 2008 debut album, “Poltiquement instable” (“Politically
unstable”), became a runaway success, earning him the title “The General” from
fans across the country. Beyond his rap career, he is also an engaged activist,
starting initiatives such as “Jeune et Fort” (“Young and Strong”), which
promotes education through citizenship, democracy, and electoral culture, and
his new “Our Destiny” association, which aims to empower young people to take
control of their existence for the benefit of the country.

Valsero was arrested on January
26 in Yaoundé on the margins of a peaceful demonstration protesting last year’s
national elections, which many deemed to be rigged in support of the current
president, Paul Biya. Maurice Kamto, the opposition leader, had organized
marches all over the country on that day, but the protestors were met with
widespread police suppression, and both Kamto and Valsero were detained.
Valsero is not a member of the opposition party.